Major moves in mozzarella: DSM’s new cheese cultures target texture and “sliceability” for pizza market

19 May 2020 --- DSM has unveiled its new line of cheese cultures for boosting the yield and resource efficiency of mozzarella cheese production. Capable of achieving a higher moisture content in mozzarella, the range increases yield by up to 1.3 percent, compared to the most commonly used Direct Vat Set (DVS) culture in the US. These cultures also enable cheesemakers to deliver products with superior taste and texture and are ideal for creating mozzarella cheese for pizza, offering a mild buttery flavor, excellent stretch and melt behavior and reduced browning for an enhanced eating experience.

The cheese industry is experiencing a sharp rise in demand for mozzarella cheese in a range of product formats, including shreds, slices and cubes. The global pizza cheese market, for instance, is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.04 percent between 2020 and 2027, which will continue to fuel demand for mozzarella in years ahead. 

DSM’s DelvoCheese CP-500 cultures answer that demand, while helping cheesemakers overcome the challenges associated with creating tasty cheese that will retain a firm texture and sliceability throughout shelf life. Increasing the capacity and speed of cheese production is also crucial to safeguard the profitability of their operations, according to DSM. 

DSM says it is setting a yield standard in mozzarella production with its new cheese cultures. Commercial testing has shown that the DelvoCheese CP-500 range enables cheesemakers to overcome these challenges by increasing moisture content, offering the fast acidification expected by producers and a consistent performance in terms of texture – maximizing yield and improving the consumer pizza-eating experience. When combined with DSM’s Maxiren XDS fermented chymosin coagulants, the range enhances yield further, allowing manufacturers to optimize raw material efficiency and achieve high whey quality.

DSM says it is setting a yield standard in mozzarella production with its new cheese cultures. “It can be a complex challenge for cheesemakers to meet rising consumer demand for high-quality mozzarella cheese products while continuing to be economically and operationally efficient,” says Evandro Oliveira de Souza, Business Lead for Cheese at DSM. “We’re committed to offering unique, stand-out products that not only look and taste good but are also better for both consumers and customers. For that reason, DSM is delighted to introduce this new extension of our portfolio of culture solutions, which will help our customers set a new standard for yield in cheese production and deliver market-leading end products.”

DSM has decades of experience in the cheese industry and can help cheesemakers worldwide produce high-quality, great tasting cheese products efficiently, effectively and in a sustainable way. This is achieved through DSM’s cultures, coagulants, cheese protection and ripening solutions, biopreservatives and residual antibiotics tests.

Alongside the DelvoCheese CP-500 cultures, DSM’s expanding portfolio of solutions for mozzarella cheese includes DelvoCheese CP-120 cultures, and Fromase XLG and Maxiren XDS coagulants. This is complemented by DSM’s expertise including application support, process analysis and optimization, and tailored phage rotation management that can help brands reduce production costs, improve product quality and increase fermentation consistency.

DSM’s capabilities and portfolio in support of the cheese and dairy industry have recently been further strengthened by the acquisition of specialty dairy ingredients company CSK.

Last November, DSM reached an agreement to acquire a 100 percent interest in specialty dairy solutions provider Koninklijke CSK Food Enrichment (CSK) for a cash consideration of around €150 million (US$1.66 million). DSM said at the time that it is seeking to strengthen its product portfolio and application capacities in food and beverage, particularly in the complementary area of taste, texture and bio-preservation solutions for semi-hard cheeses such as Dutch heritage cheeses Gouda and Edam.

By Gaynor Selby